The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
The other things which they adde, are now to be examined by vsus.
I. THE doctrine of Reprobation, is ſo farre profitable to the elect, in as much as by the compariſon of the lot of Reprobates with theirs, they are ſtirred vp to the praiſe and admiration of the bounty of God towards them. Then alſo when the pledges of Election doe begin to faile, and the ſpirit of adoption is grieued by the luſts of the fleſh, it is profitable to the faithfull to be ſtriken with ſome horrour, and to be ſtirred vp to try themſelues, whether they proceede in regeneration, or whether they grow worſe and fall backe, that ſo pricks and incitements might be put to them that are ſloathfull.
II. The very word election doth proue, that there are ſome that are reprobates; for there were not ſome elected; vnleſſe the reſt were paſſed by and reiected. The Scripture maketh mention of Reprobates, 1. Pet. 2.8. Which ſtumble at the word, being diſobedient, whereunto alſo they were appointed. And Iude 4. Certaine men are crept in vnawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation. Theſe in the Reuelation are noted out vntounto vsus, by thoſe who are not written in the book of life, the number of whom Chriſt doth inſinuate to be very great, when hee ſaith, Many are called, few choſen. The ſame is proued by experience: For not onelyonly before the comming of Chriſt, but alſo at this time there are very many nations to whom the name of Chriſt is not knowne, without the knowledge of which there is no ſaluation.
III. Reprobation is the decree of God, by which from eternity he decreed, not to giuegive to certaine men his grace, by which they might be freed from their engrafted deprauation, and from the curſe due to them, and appointed them to iuſt and deſerued puniſhments for their ſinnes.
IV. The definition of Thomas doth not pleaſe me, who ſaith that the decree of Reprobation is the will of permitting one to fall into ſinne, and of laying vponupon him the puniſhment of damnation for his ſinne: For the permiſſion whereby God doth permit, doth not belong to predeſtination, but to his prouidence, although it ſerue to predeſtination.
V. It is the opinion of the Arminian ſect, that Reprobates may be ſaued: For (ſaith Arminius) that decree is not of the power, but of the act of ſauing. Very ill ſpoken: For where the act of God is determined by his decree, in vaine is the power by which this act may be reſiſted. This opinion doth draw with it other opinions no better then it ſelfe, for errors are tyed together among themſelues like ſerpents egges: For if a Reprobate may be ſaued, he that is not written in the booke of life, may effect that hee be now written in, and ſo the number of the elect will not be certaine, nor the decree of Reprobation be irreuocable and peremptory (as they ſpeake) vnleſſe after finall perſeuerance in incredulity. Alſo hence it will follow, that a reprobate may, if he will, obtaine faith, and conuert himſelfe: whence it would come to paſſe, that faith ſhould not be of the meere grace of God, which wee ſhall ſee hereafter to be the opinion of Arminius.
VI. God is, after the ſame manner, the cauſe of Reprobation, as the iudge is the cauſe of the puniſhment of them that are guilty, and ſinne is the meritorious cauſe. Seeing therefore the conſideration of ſinne doth moue the iudge, and the iudge doth condemne to puniſhment, it appeareth that ſinne is the remote cauſe of damnation, and not onelyonly a condition neceſſarily fore-required, and that the iudge is the next and neereſt cauſe.
VII. Furthermore although ſinne be the cauſe of appointing to puniſhment, yet it is not the cauſe of the difference betweene the Elect and Reprobate. For examples ſake: Two men are guilty of the ſ…me crime, and it pleaſeth the king to condemne one, and to abſolue and free the other, his ſinne indeede that is condemned is the cauſe of his puniſhment, but it is not the cauſe why the king is otherwiſe affected to the other then to him, ſeeing the fault on both ſides is alike: The cauſe of the difference is, that ſomething thing ſteppeth betweene, which doth turne the puniſhment from one of them; which in the worke of predeſtination is nothing elſe but the very good pleaſure of God, by which of his meere good pleaſure, he gaue certaine men to Chriſt, leauing the reſt in their inbred corruption, and in the curſe due vntounto them. For which difference, it is great wickedneſſe for vsus to ſtriue with God, ſeeing hee is not ſubiect nor bound to any creature, and puniſheth no man vniuſtly, giuing to one the grace that is not due, and impoſing on the other the puniſhment that is due.
VIII. Here it is demanded what is that ſinne for which God doth reprobate, to wit, whether men are Reprobated onelyonly for the ſinne which is deriued from Adam, and for that blot which is common to Reprobates with the elect, or whether they are alſo reprobated for the actuall ſinnes which they are to commit in the whole courſe of their life. The anſwere is at hand: For although naturall corruption be cauſe ſufficient for Reprobation, yet it is no doubt but that God hath decreed to condemne for the ſame cauſe for which hee doth condemne; and hee doth condemne the Reprobates for the ſinnes which they hauehave committed in act: For in hell they doe not onelyonly beare the puniſhment of originall ſinne, but alſo of actuall ſinnes: Therefore alſo God hath appointed them to damnation for the ſame ſinnes. Now to Reprobate, and to appoint to puniſhment, are all one. God doth ſo execute any thing in time, according as he from eternity decreed to execute it: Now he doth puniſh in time for actuall ſinnes, therefore alſo hee decreed from eternity to puniſh for them Thence it is that the puniſhments of the men of Capernaum, was to be greater then the puniſhment of the Sodomites, and the puniſhment of him that knew the will of his maſter, greater then the puniſhment of him that knew it not, becauſe there is a great difference betweene the actuall ſinnes for which they are puniſhed. Nothing hindreth, that God conſidering a man lying in his naturall corruption and deprauation, ſhould not alſo conſider him as poluted with thoſe ſinnes which he was to commit by that naturall deprauation.
IX. Arminius doth not thinke that any man is Reprobated for originall ſinne, for he contends that Chriſt hath obtained the remiſſion of it for all mankinde. But he will hauehave man to be reprobated onelyonly for the fore-ſeeing of actuall ſinnes, that is, for the breach of the law, and the contempt of grace: In which thing he doth ſeeme not to be conſtant to himſelfe. For ſeeing all actuall ſinnes doe flow from originall ſinne, it cannot be, that the cauſe and fountaine of actuall ſinnes ſhould be remitted by God, and yet the ſinnes that flow from thence ſhould not be remitted: As if God ſhould forgiue a man intemperance, but ſhould puniſh him for adultery; for actions doe flow from habits and naturall inclinations, as the ſecond acts doe flow from the firſt.
X. Without doubt incredulity, and the reiection of the Goſpell are among the ſinnes, for which any one is reprobated; For by this reiection we ſinne againſt the Law, by which God will iudge vsus: For the law commandeth that God be loued with all our heart, and that he be obeyed in all things, and without exception, and therefore alſo that he be beleeued when he ſpeaketh, and that hee be obeyed when hee commandeth vsus to beleeue, whatſoeuer it ſhall be which he ſhall eyther command or ſhall ſay.
XI. That hee ſhould be Reprobated for reiecting the Goſpell, and deſpiſing the grace of Chriſt, to whom the Goſpel was neuer preached, is againſt all reaſon: For, whom the Goſpell doth not ſaue, it leaueth vnderunder the law, to be iudged by it, which law doth then binde a man to beleeue in Chriſt, when Chriſt is preached to him: Nor is it the Schoole maſter to Chriſt, but to them who hauehave meanes to come to the knowledge of Chriſt; After the ſame manner as the law did not binde them to belecue the prophecy of Ieremy, who neuer heard of the name of Ieremie, nor could it be knowne to them.
XII. And although reprobation cannot be ſaid to be the cauſe of ſinne, becauſe ſinne goeth before reprobation, yet it cannot be denied but that reprobation is the cauſe of the denying of grace, and of the preaching of the Goſpell, and of the ſpirit of adoption, which is peculiar to the elect: For ſeeing this denying is a puniſhment, it muſt needes be, that it is inflicted by the will of a iuſt iudge. Theſe are the words of Arminius, Page 58. againſt Perkins: Effectuall grace is denyea by the decree of Reprobation; and a … after, God by the certaine accree of Reprobation, determinea not to giuegive faith an… repentance to ſome, to wit, by yeelding them his effectuall grace, by which they would certainely belecue and be conu…rted. There is no cauſe therefore that we ſhould be traduced by the Arminians in this reſpect, ſeeing that the principall of their ſect doth ſay the ſame thing.
And it is eaſie to tell the cauſe why God ſhould not be bound to giuegive to all men faith and repentance: For God who hath not wrought the diſeaſe, is not bound to giuegive to all men the remedies of the diſeaſe, nor to giuegive the ability of performing thoſe things which are due from man to God. For this impotency & diſability in performing, proceeded from man himſelfe, not from God: And the fulfilling of the law, is a naturall debt; Which law ſeeing it is violated by the retection of the Goſpell, it is plaine, that it is alſo a naturall debt to beleeue the Goſpell, not before it is preached, Arnold. Page 3.6. Dicat Arminius grat…am qua…a…u tas cre…e…dida… quā plurimis, d…at emmbus c…mmun…m eſſe ac proinde n…gat gra…iam eſſe? Et P 262. Reſpondeo D…um cum n…uum loe lus gratia pro enit & cultae admiſtae remiſſi nem pro…it… ſub noua obedientiae conditione teneri maxi… vires … quibus …mo condi ton…m ſtū poſſit implere, alioqui non p…ſſit …udicars …ſt im grati…mſincere offerre.but then when it is preached.
XIII. The Arminians are of opinion, that no man is reprobated, but hee that hath contemned that grace which doth leade to Chriſt, and they make incredulity the ſpeciall cauſe of reprobation not onelyonly in them to whom the Goſpell is preached, but a ſo in them who hauehave not heard the name of Chriſt ſpoken off. Arminius maketh theſe guilty of the contempt of grace: For he ſaith that there is giuen to all men vnreſiſtab…y the faculty of beleeuing, and the power of obta…ning faith, if they will: Yea, they ſay, that ſufficient meanes to be eeue were adminiſtred to the heathen, who before the comming of Chriſt, liued in the inmoſt part of Spaine or Scythia: And they lay downe a certaine vniuerſall ſufficient grace, common to all men; but when they come to explaine that grace, ſometimes they place it in the common notions, and naturall light; ſometimes in the contemplation of the creatures, ſometimes in any generall knowledge of the law: Of which curſed doctrine, and how by theſe things they doe not obſcurely paſſe into the campe of Pelagius, ſhall be ſpoken in their due places.
XIV. But here we are eueryevery where ſet vponupon by their darts, and the Arminians doe abundantly caſt reproaches vponupon vsus, and doe faigne to themſelues monſters which they may kill. The conferrers at the Hage, Page 122. after they hauehave belched out ſome calumnies, doe thus conclude their ſpeech: Theſe things are briefely ſpoken, Collat. Hag Non potuit ſe conuertere impeditus ſciticet a dinina voluntate.againſt that abſurd, deteſtable, and abhominable opinion. Good words I pray you: Theſe terrible vizards doe not fright vsus. They imagine that we teach, that in fidelity doth flow from reprobation, as if reprobation were the cauſe of infidelity. The good men ſing this Cuckowes ſong to vsus ſixe hundred times, attributing to vsus the doctrine which we neither beleeue nor teach: For if one hath not decreed to giuegive to him that is blinde the remedies by which he might recouer his ſight, hee is not therefore the cauſe of his blindneſſe, nor hath hee appointed him to blindneſſe.
XV. They ground on a falſe foundation, on which they build thoſe things which are worſe. For they thus beginne their ſpeech of Reprobation, Page 118. It is knowne to the Contraremonſtrant brethren, that ſuch as Election is on the one part, ſuch Reprobation ought to be on the other part. This is the fountaine of their error; this falſe beginning hath led aſide thoſe acute men into by waies: The reſpect of Election is one, the reſpect of Reprobation is farre other. For ſinne and in fidelity is not a condition required after the ſame manner in the reprobates, as faith is a condition required in the elect: For ſinne is a condition fore-required in reprobates, but faith is a condition following election. Reprobation is made for ſinne, but election is made to faith. Sinne is the cauſe of the appointing to puniſhment, faith is the effect of election. God findeth ſinne, but worketh faith. Sinne followeth reprobation onelyonly in the neceſſity of conſequence, but not in the neceſſity of the conſequent: But faith doth follow election both waies. By theſe things that calumny is abundantly waſhed off which Arnoldus, Page 228. and in many other places doth ſprinkle vponupon vsus, that we deny that the reprobates are reprobated for ſinne.
XVI. It yeeldeth an occaſion to the Arminians of falſely accuſing vsus, becauſe we ſay, that the decree of reprobation is preciſe and abſolute, nor doe we agree to Arminius, who teacheth that the reprobates indeede are not ſaued, but yet they might be ſaued, and who denieth that the number of the reprobates is determined by the decree of God. But here is nothing from whence it can be drawne, that reprobation is the cauſe of ſinne, or that any one is reprobated without the beholding of ſinne.
XVII. Arnoldus doth carpe at our opinion with certaine little obiections, Page 219. Ye ſay that the reprobates hauehave beene excluded of God from ſaluation in his decree for one ſinne, but that they ſhall be excluded in time for another diuerſe ſinne. It is a calumny, wee neither thinke nor ſay it. He doth heape vp the ſame falſe accuſation, Page 229. and 238. where hee ſaith that men are reprobated, as onelyonly conſidered in the ſinne of Adam.
XVIII. In the ſame page he doth thus vainely argue: It is not the part of wiſedome to be willing that they ſhould hope for good, who are excluded from it by the abſolute decree of God. But I deny, that vnbeleeuers and prophane men are excluded from God, by the abſolute decree of God, after that manner as you take the word abſolute, that is, without reſpect to their ſinnes: Neither doth it fauor of folly to command that they who are excluded from eternall life, by the abſolute, that is, by the certaine and ineuitable decree, ſhould contend and aſpire to eternall life, ſeeing that they are therefore excluded from life, becauſe they hauehave not aſpired to it.
XIX. The ſame man, Page 226. Ye determine (ſaith he) that God hath prec…ſely reprobated from ſaluation, ſome ſinners lying in the fall of Adam, without the conſideration of impenitency. Is is a ſlander: Our Churches doe not be…eeue it. The confeſſion of the Churches of France, of England, of the Low-Countries, doth not ſay it: Indeede in the decree of reprobation is included the will of not giuing faith and finall repentance to reprobates; but it doth not follow thence, that reprobation is without the conſideration of impenitency.
XX. Arnoldus addeth; Your doctrine determines that God doth exact faith from the reprobates, and that he decreed to condemne them if they ſhould not beleeue, when yet it is impoſsible for them that they ſhould beleeue in Chriſt with a ſure perſwaſion of minde, not onelyonly becauſe God doth not giuegive them power of beleeuing, but alſo becauſe if th…y were furniſhed with power to beleeue, yea, if they ſhould beleeue in Chriſt, they would beleeue that which were falſe, becauſe Chriſt hath not died for them: But it is contrary to the iuſtice of God to exact ſuch an obedience, and then to puniſh the creature, for not performing ſuch an obedience, which is abſolutely impoſsible to the creature. He doth abundantly repeate the ſame thing in other places, but eſpecially, Page 261. and 262. Here are many things faiſe. Firſt, it is falſe that faith is exacted and required of all the reprobates, for it is required onelyonly of them to whom the Goſpell is preached. Neither is it true that faith is abſolutely, and without condition required of all thoſe, to whom the Goſpell is preached; for it is required vnderunder a condition, to wit, that they be conuerted and repent: But if they doe not repent, we teach and cry out, that the benefit of Chriſt doth not pertaine to them; and that they hope and beleeue in Chriſt in vaine, ſo long as they are aduerſe and contrary to God, inuiting them to repentance: And it is alſo falſe, that God is vniuſt, if he command them to beleeue and obey, who for their inbred deprauation cannot beleeue and obey, and to whom God doth not giuegive power of beleeuing; for man himſelfe hath brought this impotency and diſability on himſelfe, and this deprauation, in man, is voluntary; and God exacting from man, that he ſhould beleeue him ſpeaking by Chriſt, doth require nothing which man doth not owe: For to obey the law is a naturall debt. For God, ſpeaking by Chriſt, cannot be refuſed or contemned, but the law alſo is broken, as we hauehave already taught at large in many places, eſpecially Chap. 11. Where we hauehave taught that the power of beleeuing was giuen vsus in Adam, and that Adam had it before the fall, but an occaſion of vſing it was wanting: And therefore alſo this power was loſt in Adam. Page 262. in Tileaum.Nor is God bound to reſtore it, as Arnoldus (ſetting lawes to God himſelfe) would hauehave it. By theſe things alſo we meete with that falſe accuſation wherewith Arnoldus doth purſue vsus, Page 230. Ye determine (ſaith he) that faith is required of reprobates, and yet that the meanes to performe obedience to faith are preciſely denyed: For it is not required of all, but of them to whom Chriſt is made knowne, nor is it required of theſe abſolutely, but with condition of repentance: Neither is any thing required of them although they be reprobates, but what they owe.
XXI. But Arnoldus doth adde to this a foule calumny, wherewith he would odiouſly bur…en our cauſe. Ye will hauehave (ſaith he) faith to be required of the reprobates, that they might be made inexcuſable, and their damnation might be aggrauated. Wee ſay indeede that their damnation is thereby made the greater, but we doe not ſay that this end was propounded by God. So when we ſay that one goeth forth to warre, that he may be ſlaine, wee ſignifie what is to happen, not what end ſhould be intended. And it is not for vsus to enquire ſcrupulouſly into the end which God propounded to himſelfe. Yet theſe two ends are certaine, to wit, to require of man what is due, and alſo by this meane to bring the elect to ſaluation.
XXII. He doth bend at vsus another dart, Page 286. Your doctrine (ſaith he) doth repugne the Euangelicall threates: For ſeeing the intent of God in the propounding of them is, that men ſhould be driuen from impenitency, and ſo ſhould be ſaued. You on the contrary ſide teach, that God doth deny to ſome men the meanes that are neceſſary to repentance, becauſe he hath determined not to ſaue them. Firſt, it may be doubted whether there are any Euangelicall threats; for the threatnings which are contayned in the bookes of the Goſpell, are not a part of the Goſpell. For ſeeing the word Euangelium, Goſpell, doth ſignifie, a good meſſage, I doe not ſee how threatnings can belong to a good meſſage: They who beleeue not the Goſpell ſhall be puniſhed, not by the Goſpell, but by the law. But howſoeuer it be, I ſee nothing here which doth repugne theſe threates, by which God doth intend to require from man that which is due, and that which the law it ſelfe requireth, to wit, that God be obeyed. Seeing that the denying of grace, and of the reſtoring of the powers which man by his owne fault loſt, doth very well agree with ſuch a declaration of threatnings. Theſe things are not repugnant, to propound life to man on the condition of obedience, and not to reſtore to man thoſe powers of obedience which hee loſt by his owne fault.
XXIII. Neither are theſe things repugnant, to propound life to any one vnderunder a condition, and to appoint the ſame man to death for his fore-ſeene diſobedience.
XXIV. The ſame man ſince Arminius, Page 269. (for that which he addeth concerning Infants ſhall hereafter be handled) doth thus inuey againſt our opinion. Your opinion (ſaith he) cauſeth that publike prayers cannot be offered to God, as it is meete they ſhould, to wit, with faith and confidence that they ſhall profit all them that heare the word, becauſe according to your opinion amongſt them, there are many, whom God not onelyonly will not hauehave to be ſaued, but whom he will hauehave to be condemned by his abſolute, eternall, and immutable will, which goeth before all things and cauſes: Yet the Apostle commandeth that prayers be made for all men, and addeth this reaſon, becauſe it is good and acceptable to God, who would hauehave all men to be ſaued and come to the knowledge of the truth.
XXV. I anſwere, that it is falſely ſuppoſed by Arminius, that publike prayers ought to be poured out with this confidence, that they ſhall profit all them that heare the word. This faith were raſh, and not reſting on the word of God; eſpecially ſeeing the miniſters of the word, hauehave, for the moſt part, known many that are diſobedient and openly prophane, nor doe they doubt, but that beſides theſe, there are many that are ſicke, and ill affected with inward and hidden vices, who yet make a ſhew of piety. Certainely the ſimilitude of the ſeede ſowne into diuers ground, and of a differing diſpoſition, and with an vnlike ſucceſſe, doth in this caſe bring more feare then confidence. And yet becauſe the ſecrets of reprobation are vnknowne to vsus, we doe rightly pray for all, becauſe we hope well of eueryevery one. I doe not ſee whereto this obiection belongs, vnleſſe to ſtop and ſtay the Reader with a childiſh declamation, becauſe this very obiection doth no leſſe purſue Arminius, who although he will not hauehave the decree of God to be preciſe, yet doth confeſſe, that God doth certainely fore-know who are to be damned. And to confeſſe this, what is it elſe, then to teach that God is willing that wee ſhould pray for them, whom he certainely knoweth our prayers will not profit? But that which he caſteth vponupon vsus, that we make the decree of reprobation to goe before all things and cauſes, and therefore alſo before ſinne it ſelfe, is plainely contrary to our opinion.: And if ſuch words hauehave fallen from any vnawares, it is not therfore the opinion of our Churches, we defend thoſe things that are ours, but we doe not warrant other mens.
XXVI. Concerning the place of the Apoſtle, where hee ſaith that God would hauehave all men be ſaued, it ſhall be ſpoken in his order and place. To will, here, is no other thing then to inuite, and to call: Alſo by all men, he vnderſtandeth, men of eueryevery condition and ſort: After the ſame manner that Titus, 2.11. The grace of Chriſt is ſaid to bring ſaluation to all men, when notwithſtanding ſo many periſh. This is a token here, of that in the former place it is ſpoken of kings, in this place of ſeruants: Their domination was at that time contrary to Chriſt, and the lot and ſtate of theſe men, was abiect and baſe, the Apoſtle would not hinder that they ſhould not be prayed for, and theſe are thought ſuch as may be partakers of ſauing grace.
XXVII. The Arminians ſeeme, to themſelues, to deale very acutely, when they diſpute thus: If there be any one (ſay they) whoſe eyes hauehave beene pulled out for not keeping his watch well, is it a iuſt thing to command him that hereafter he ſhould watch and ward? And then if he hath not done it, to lay great puniſhments vponupon him becauſe he hath not watched? I anſwere, that this is an example nothing to the purpoſe: For they vſe the example of one that is blinde, who is not bound to ſee. But man though he be corrupted and wicked, yet he is bound to obey God, which if hee hath not done, he is iuſtly puniſhed. Then alſo they bring an example of one whoſe eyes were pulled out, hee ſtriuing againſt it, and being vnwilling: But man brought this deprauation on himſelfe, of his owne accord, and was voluntarily euill, and therefore he is iuſtly puniſhed.